Fantastic Feng wins in Malaysia
Feng Shanshan of China in action during day four of the Sime Darby LPGA at TPC Kuala Lumpur on October 30, 2016 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. [Photo/VCG] |
Feng Shanshan won the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia on Sunday to cap a string of top finishes that started with an Olympic bronze medal.
The 27-year-old Chinese star beat Suzann Pettersen by three strokes at TPC Kuala Lumpur, shooting a 4-under 67 after finishing off a third-round 64 in the morning.
Feng won the event for the second time to push her LPGA Tour victory total to five, ending a drought that stretched to her 2014 Kuala Lumpur win.
"It's really good, especially in the last four years where I finished second, first, second, first here," she said.
"Even though I only improved one spot, I think I've had a fantastic week coming back here. Makes me feel like I'm at home."
"I really love this golf course. And actually can we have like 10 LPGA events here on this course?"
Feng has finished no worse than a tie for fourth in her last six events. After Rio, she tied for fourth at Evian in France, then opened the Asia Swing in China with a fourth-place tie at Reignwood, was second in Taiwan and tied for third in South Korea.
Tied with Anna Nordqvist after the Swede's tap-in birdie on the par-4 13th, Feng regained the lead with a sweeping 18-foot birdie putt on the par-4 14th. She added a downhill 15-footer on the par-3 15th, and had a three-stroke lead moments later when Nordqvist three-putted the 14th.
Feng finished at 17-under 267.
Pettersen shot her second straight 66. Nordqvist had a 70, hitting into the water on the par-4 18th for a double bogey that dropped her into a tie for third with Amy Yang (69) at 12 under.
A stroke ahead of Nordqvist on Saturday when darkness stopped play, Feng returned to par the 18th and took a two-stroke lead into the final round when Nordqvist closed with a bogey.
Top-ranked Lydia Ko shot a 71 - making a double bogey on 15 and a bogey on 18 - to tie for 12th at 8 under. Malaysia's Sargunan Suntharaj caddied for her in her first tournament since firing Jason Hamilton.
Hamilton immediately teamed with Jang Ha-na, and she ended up tying Ko at 8 under. Jang shot a 72. She birdied four of the first six, bogeyed five of the next six and parred the last six.